The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-27
a RoMANcr or rHE COURTS.
The Strange Story Revealed in the
Anderson Will Contest.
Fron, fhe Ne1n York Vorld.

4
The Strange Story Revealed in the
Anderson Will Contest.
From the Neao York World.
There is drama playing every day this
week in the Supreme Court, before Judge
Lawrence. 1t is a drama of real life, but
all the materials that go to make up the
regulation romance are here at hand Just
| to run them over sounds like the argument
of a Observation-Disclosures play There is a
murder mystery, the death OF a beautiful
young girl, the disinheritance of a noble
woman, the hint of illegitinacy, the son of
a millionaire dying in a poor-house the
Vaccinations of the rich and shrewd to
keep the money within their grasp, and
finally the struggles of poor country girl,
! ignorant of evil ways, fighting single
| handed against lawyers and the power that
lies in &c, O0O, 900 of money. On the stage
| heinnocent young woman usually tTiumphs,
but in real life and in law poverty and limo
cence do not stand much of chance. One
of those on the rich side said that they had
money enough to buy up any jury in the
| country. 1t will be interesting to watch the
outcome of this trial and see.
The founder of this drama was John An
derson-old John Anderson, who nearly half
a century ago kept tobacco shop away
down town when New York was yet i'll swad-
|
| ing fast to what came to him and investing
the surplus that his business yielded in real
estate situated in what was then the country,
| but is now the most desirable part of this
| town. OF course he got rich.
Working for John Anderson was a beauti-
| full young woman. All that generation knew
Mary Rogers, ''the pretty tobacco girl"
Everybody was proud of her. John Ander-
son was proud of her and treated her with
| (l1of ina
| ty, youthful, lovable Mary Rogers was
murdered. There was great outcry and
| chase after the murderer. He was never
| found. John Anderson was arrested at
Saratoga, charged with the crime, but re-
leased, as no proof existed against him. To
| this day the murder remains as much
mystery as ever.
tired from business. The ghost of Mary
Rogers haunted him. The ghosts. of other
| people haunted him He was a kind Of
spiritualist. His son Willie died young and
| the old man confessed that he often had talks
with the dead boy. A bust of Garibaldi
decorated the old mans home at Tarrytown.
Once when friend called at the house and
began to tell of something inimical to Italian
| liberty John Anderson said ''Hush, he will
hear you, pointing to the bust of Garibaldi.
When he woke up at night he fancied that
he could touch and know dead friends about
his bedside. His wife died when he was
| away from home. A friend hurried to tell
him of his loss and apologized for the long
delay in bringing the message.
oh" replied Anderson, ''do not spolo-
gize; knew that she was dead She came
to me at once and told me all about it.
That is how John Anderson spent his last
days on earth, according to the testimony
| brought forward at this strange trial.
In November, 1881, he died. The property
he had bought years before had trebled and
quadrupled il value, but through no action
of his own He left nearly $50, 900, 600.
| Four daughters and one son survived him.
To the son, John Charles Anderson, as resi-
duary legatee, he left the bulk of his prop
| erty, giving, however, to each of his
daughters and grandchildren handsome
| fortune. One alone he left out in the cold
This was Mrs. Carr, whose daughter, Mary
Maud Watson, is suing to recover a one
fifth interest in the hotel property ON the
corner of Fifth avenue and Fifty-ninth
| street.
According to the testimony John Charles
Anderson was taken into partnership by his
father and by Felix McCloskey. The son,
however, was not allowed to sign checks un-
less they were Endorsed by the counsel and
legal friend of the old man, William Bogart.
The father said to McClosl1ey, according to
the testimony: 'My son is a forger and
thief. He has forged my name to checks"
The young man seemed to have great iniu-
ence over his father. Once when some diff
ference arose between them the son said:
"You viii have to do as | tell you, other
wise one of us will have to go to State
| prison. and it will not be myself" So old
John Anderson unwillingly consented
Dark hints of a horrible domestic scandal
have been thrown out now and then.
John Charles Anderson is said to be Ill.
1 a,,I ,,.,A... i L
| New Haven to testify at the trial His tes-
timony has been taken in the form of
deposition. He married a lady in every
way the choice of his father, and that made
another bond between them. His Youngest
son, Willie, is said to have died in the poor
house in San Francisco. The father lives in
a beautiful country place just outside Of
New Haven.
| So Mary Maud Watson, granddaughter of
| old John Anderson is suing for very small
share of the immense fortune Of $50. 600, 600
| The interest OF 900 was left to her, but
she refused to take it. She claims that the
| son, John Charles Anderson, unduly infiu-
enced his father against her. On the other
hand, the opposition claim that Mary Wat
sons mother was illegitinate, and declare
the whole suit a Matchmaking scheme. In
| teresting and wildly sensational testimony
is expected when William Bogart, the old
friend of John Anderson, and others are
called so testify.
In court yesterday Warren N Herrick
| gave more testimony about John Anderson's
tendencies to Spiritualism, and told how at
one time after his son, Willie, died, the old
man gave him 800, as he said, by order of
| his dead child
William Murdoch testified to Andersons
hobby about the regeneration of the politics
of Italy in conjunction with Garibaldi. He
was then asked if it was not true that Mrs.
Anderson had told him that the old tobac-
| conist had confessed the murder of Mary
| Rogers, the cigar girl, but he was not per-
| United to answer.
John Weber, for the defense, said the old
man was an enthusiast on the subjects of
| Garibaldi and Agassiz, but said there was
nothing irrational in his ideas about the re-
| generation of Italy or the foundation of a
| school for science. In reference to the state
ment of Felix McCloskey, who said that he
was AndersOn's most trusted friend and
| conRdant the witness testified that John
! Anderson used to repeat that he only toler-
ated McCloskey because he was useful in Sc
curing information. He spoke of McCloskey
in contemptuous TERMS and said he was the
kind of man who held Offices that were sine
cures and who "struck politicians for
f,,g,y A. a